Diarrhea can result from a variety of pathophysiological disorders including bacterial and parasitic infections, disease or debilitation of organs such as liver, adrenal and others. It can also occur as a result of other therapy or diet. In all cases, diarrhea is generally a symptom of organic gastrointestinal disorders and not itself a disorder. Chronic diarrhea is generally due to intestinal hypermotility and rapid transport. It may also be due to, or accompanied by hypersecretion of acid gastric juices or decreased reabsorption and may, in some instances, particularly those accompanied by hypersecretion, be associated with emotional tension and psychological conflicts.
Antidiarrheal compounds are, of course, wellknown in the medicinal arts and take various forms. In particular there are a variety of products known which act systemically to provide antidiarrheal effects when administered in a manner which will enable the drug to be taken into the system at effective therapeutic levels.
It is becoming increasingly evident from the literature that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) are effective antidiarrheal agents, but generally, only at high doses. It would be highly desirable, however, if the antidiarrheal doses of the NSAID were much lower than those typically reported for their anti-inflammatory or analgesic activity and the antidiarrheal activity of these NSAID could be potentiated so as to provide more effective antidiarrheal activity.